Ning Shu continued her cultivation while occasionally shifting her body.
A pair of eyes stared at her from outside the door, surveying her with a burning, unbridled intensity.
The gaze was so brazen that Ning Shu could no longer ignore it.
She rose from the bench and put on a veil, revealing only a pair of deep eyes. Her irises were a faint blue, shimmering like the sea under sunlight.
The person outside grew even more audacious in his scrutiny.
Ning Shu thought, ‘Ugh, my temper!’
She walked out of the temple and looked up to see a golden chariot drawn by white horses in the sky. A man stood upon it. He possessed a thick beard and eyes that were fixated squarely on her.
This was Poseidon. He was burly with a shock of blue hair and dressed in a long robe.
His features radiated a sense of intense aggression and immense ambition.
Poseidon constantly sought to seize the throne of Zeus. He was bellicose and never satisfied with the power he held, often clashing with the other gods.
Ning Shu grew wary. Was the assault about to happen now? She weighed her own strength. Could she defeat him? He had a trident that could control the elements.
Poseidon’s gaze remained glued to her, as if his eyes were about to pop out of his head.
Ning Shu really wanted to slap him across the face.
What are you looking at, you creep?
But she couldn’t. First, she wasn’t strong enough yet. Second, if she did something out of line, she would disgrace Athena, who would then punish her.
His look made her feel nauseous. When people said the ‘inner circle’ was a mess, they were definitely talking about the Olympian gods.
Nothing was off-limits for them.
“Poseidon, what are you doing at my temple?” Athena appeared in the sky, looking at him on his golden chariot.
At Athena’s appearance, Ning Shu prostrated herself on the ground in a display of utmost piety.
A beautiful person was lovely no matter what they did. Seeing her prostrate like that made Poseidon’s heart flutter. She was truly a stunner.
Poseidon forced himself to look away from Ning Shu and toward the armored Athena. “I’m just here to see this prosperous city. It wasn’t meant to be called Athens, at first. It should have been named after me.”
He looked at the city, wondering what would happen if the sea swallowed it whole.
Although Athena didn’t want to offend him, Athens was her protected domain. She wouldn’t tolerate his insolence.
Even though he was the sea god, she was the daughter of Zeus and had possessed great power since birth.
In a way, she was a child sired solely by Zeus.
A prophecy stated that a son born of Metis would overthrow Zeus. Fearing this, Zeus swallowed Metis whole.
Afterward, Zeus developed a severe headache. He asked Hephaestus to split his skull open. Go ahead, son. Hack into me.
The fire god took an axe and split his father’s skull.
To the amazement of the gods, a beautiful, armored goddess leaped out, radiant and magnificent.
Athena seemed like an extension of Zeus himself, the executor of his will. Metis’ role as her mother faded, making it seem as if Athena was born of Zeus alone.
She held a high status in the patriarchal pantheon—a queen and a ruler.
She looked at the sarcastic Poseidon with indifference. He was still stirring up trouble because he’d lost the naming rights to the city.
Technically, he was her uncle, but blood relations meant nothing to these gods.
And there were too many gods to count.
“You’ve seen it. Now leave,” Athena, clad in armor, stared at him. She hadn’t failed to notice his eyes wandering toward her priestess.
Athena frowned.
Poseidon laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m just passing through. I’m leaving now.”
He rode off on his golden chariot, but his gaze remained fixed on the prostrate Ning Shu. His intent was too obvious.
“Athena, your priestess is beautiful, even more so than my sirens,” Poseidon said brazenly. “Let her be my priestess.”
Athena pursed her lips, her expression screaming one word—’Scram!’
He chuckled and flew off, leaving behind a final remark. “Athena, I’ll be back for you.”
Poseidon was ill-tempered and insatiably greedy. He ruled the oceans but still fought for land, even dreaming of taking Zeus down.
Athena watched the chariot fade away before turning to Ning Shu.
“Medusa.” Athena walked around her.
Ning Shu immediately replied, “Present.”
Athena sat down and looked at the prostrate girl. “You are my priestess. You represent the Parthenon. Watch your words and deeds. Do not rely on your beauty to act out of line, or I will punish you.”
Athena was the goddess of law and order. She’d even established the first court in Athens.
Ning Shu remained prostrate, the chill of the floor seeping through her thin clothing. “I will remember.”
Athena looked at Ning Shu’s attire. “Do not wear such clothes.”
Athena was a serious, dignified virgin goddess, fully armed and armored.